Exact Audio Copy review
A free Windows ripper for users who want error checks and control over extraction.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Exact Audio Copy (EAC) is Windows desktop software for extracting audio from CDs with standard CD and DVD-ROM drives. It suits people who want to check for possible read errors and manage how tracks are extracted, rather than simply make quick copies. EAC is free for private, non-commercial use, and the full version does not require registration for that use. Its focus is CD extraction, track metadata, and optional compression through external encoders.
The extraction modes include secure, fast, and burst. In secure mode, EAC repeatedly reads sectors or uses drive error information to detect non-identical sectors and report possible errors; it can also reduce drive speed automatically when read errors occur, depending on the drive. Users can extract whole tracks or selected ranges, create CUE sheets with track indices and disc information, and edit track names through local or remote CD database support. CD-Text and multisession CD-Extra are supported, as is batch compression of WAV files. This makes EAC a fit for users who value extraction checks and disc-level details; those looking for a broader audio library or a tool for another operating system should look elsewhere.
EAC can pass extracted audio to external MP3, WMA, FLAC, or Ogg Vorbis encoders, so compressed output depends on configuring an encoder rather than an all-in-one conversion workflow. Metadata options include AccurateRip and a MusicBrainz plugin. The vendor says optional metadata services may carry separate charges; its download page lists GD3 plugin access at $7.99 lifetime after a 10-query test, which is not a charge for EAC itself. Community is the listed support channel. Choose EAC if Windows compatibility, detailed ripping controls, and possible read-error reporting matter most; it is less suited to commercial use or buyers who want built-in encoding and broader platform coverage.
Exact Audio Copy pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Secure mode checks sectors repeatedly or uses drive error information
- Supports AccurateRip, CUE sheets, and track-name editing
- Works with external encoders for MP3, WMA, FLAC, and Ogg Vorbis
- Where it doesn't
- Private, non-commercial use only
- Windows desktop software, with no other platform listed
- External encoders are needed for supported compressed formats
Exact Audio Copy fact sheet, pricing and score →
Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.
Last updated · How we research and update